Brisbane midfielder Lachie Neale has produced a strong final term to help lift the Lions to a thrilling three-point AFL win over Fremantle at Perth's Optus Stadium.
In a see-sawing contest on Sunday that featured nine lead changes, Brisbane opened an eight-point advantage with three-and-a-half minutes remaining when Eric Hipwood kicked truly from 25 metres.
But there was another twist to come, with Fremantle speedster Michael Frederick nailing a spectacular checkside goal from the right pocket with 69 seconds remaining to give the home side hope.
The Dockers pushed hard for the winning goal, but Brisbane's defence held firm to secure the 11.11 (77) to 11.8 (74) triumph in front of a crowd of 37,845.
The victory lifted Brisbane (14-6) into third spot, just 1.1 per cent adrift of second-placed Melbourne.
Fremantle's finals hopes are now officially over after they slumped to an 8-12 record.
Neale overcame an early tight tag from Hayden Young to finish with 25 disposals and eight clearances, while Joe Daniher, Charlie Cameron and Jack Gunston kicked two goals apiece.
With the game on the line in the final quarter, Neale tallied nine disposals and four clearances for the term.
It came just a week after he was restricted to 17 disposals and four clearances under a tight tag from Gold Coast's Touk Miller.
"We must remember this, Lachie Neale gets tagged most weeks," Brisbane coach Chris Fagan said when asked about Neale's effort to fight back from a slow start against Fremantle.
"We only take notice when the tagger does a good job and we make a big song and dance about it.
"We never give Lachie a pat on the back when he gets tagged and plays a great game.
"The fact he was able to hang in there and tough it out in the last quarter and produce what he did was great."
Fremantle midfielder Caleb Serong racked up 35 disposals and 10 clearances, while Luke Jackson (24 disposals, five marks, six tackles, 44 hit-outs, five clearances and a goal) posted huge numbers.
Sam Sturt kicked three goals for the Dockers, while Young finished with 29 disposals and six clearances in his new midfield role.
Young went to Neale at the first bounce, and it was the Docker who took the honours in the opening term, racking up 10 disposals to his opponent's four.
Fremantle booted the final three goals of the second term to take an 11-point advantage into the long break.
Charlie Cameron kicked two goals in the third term to put the teams back on level pegging, and the final quarter became an epic arm wrestle.
Dockers forward Jye Amiss took a spectacular one-handed mark while squeezed up to the goal post to give his side the lead.
But a soccer goal to Daniher and a successful set shot to Gunston gave Brisbane the breathing space they needed.
"I thought we created enough opportunities to win that," Dockers coach Justin Longmuir said.
"I thought largely our commitment to the plan and out contest was really strong, and we generated enough opportunities.
"They were able to just tie theirs off a little bit better than us."
